Downtown

JB is a sprawling city, and many of the administrative offices have been moved out of the centre to Kota Iskandar in the west. Most places of interest to visitors, though, are still downtown or close to the waterfront near the Singapore causeway. The downtown area blends the scruffy with the modern: the claustrophobic alleys of the sprawling market are within a few paces of thoroughly contemporary shopping malls such as City Square. Close by, the huge CIQ (customs, immigration and quarantine) complex – built to streamline travel between JB and Singapore – includes JB Sentral station, combining bus and train terminals.

Arguably the most interesting part of the area, though, is on and around Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and Jalan Dhoby. Formerly quite seedy, these streets have been tidied up and are now at the centre of a vibrant shopping and dining scene.